Success…
How would I define success today?
Do I think I’m successful, am I able to say
I’ve arrived, I’ve achieved the goals
That make me successful as a whole
Is success a discrete entity or a continuum?
Is my life headed in an upward direction?
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Success was important, that was ingrained
In my mind, it was a message firmly retained
From the applause that as a child I’d received
Getting good grades, winning contests I perceived
As being synonymous with success
Therefore, sadly, I continued to obsess
Over academic excellence, which I did achieve
I would be successful, I began to believe..
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The definition of success morphed as I grew
Or branched out, as I faced challenges new
The first brush with failure was a resounding blow
To my overestimated ability, my fragile ego
More challenges in myriad spheres followed
I stumbled repeatedly along the road
Failure became a faithful companion for me
While fickle success floated in and out repeatedly…
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These days success I measure in aliquots small
Each time that I rise up after a fall
Each time I reach or exceed targets I’ve set
I consider it success, a sense of accomplishment I get
To improve my health, when steps I take
To enhance my skills, when efforts I make
These are steps to keep failure at bay
To feel successful in small measures everyday
There is no applause, rarely appreciation I receive
There are no tangible measures of success to achieve..
The old barometer of success was dependent
On external validation- not internal contentment
With age, I define success differently
It is for me to feel, not for the world to see
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Success..
Success is not a goal-post, nor a destination to reach
It is a journey with failure by my side to teach
The value of persistence, the need for humility
I am navigating towards internal success, successfully!
Passion...unbridled 